The Sailer Family Tree of Pennsylvania & New Jersey

The town of Mount Holly, New Jersey was the home of Samuel and Hannah Irick Sailer and their nine children for over one hundred years. There are web sites that have aided in my latest research in locating the ninth child of Samuel and Hannah, Louisa Marie Sailer Bower (1819-1891). New Jersey Mirror http://www.bcls.lib.nj.us/genealogy/newjerseymirror/Burlington County Library http://sql.bcls.lib.nj.us/gen/Using MOUNT HOLLY HISTORY, by Henry C. Schinn, c1957, reprinted 1998, the first mention of a Sailer family member is of an S. Sailer listed as a member of the Union Fire company March 23, 1805. Samuel Sailer (1778-1831), his wife Hannah, children and grandchildren lived for 100 years in Mount Holly, New Jersey.Although I am unable to locate a burial location for Samuel and Hannah, most all their 9 children and many grandchildren (about 75 relatives located so far) are buried in the Mount Holly Cemetery. My branch, through son William I. Sailer, moved to Philadelphia by the last quarter of this century.William I. Sailer returned to Mt. Holly in 1886 when he was buried in the Mt. Holly Cemetery with first wife Sarah.The branches are as follows: Sailer, Plummer, Gaskill, Johnston, Bower, Rogers, Lucas. The MHH book also has other Sailor/Sailer's mentioned and I have been able to connect with all. Keep in mind that the correct spelling is Sailer but mispelled in many the MHH book and documents. The book mentions a Charles Sailor that in the 1800's was one of many owners of the Three Tons Tavern built around 1755.In 1878, a "Charles Sailer installed the first telephone line from the Mt. Holly Fair Grounds to the Washington House and visitors to the Fair could talk over the new toy for a small charge.""John Sailor, a carpenter, helped build three double brick houses on the north side of Garden St., between Cherry and Mt. Holly Avenue in 1840, the builder Granville W. Haines."This John Sailor is most likely our John I. Sailer (1801-1850).There is also mentioned in the MHH book, "that Mount Holly(prior to 1839) originally did not extend beyond about where it now crosses Union St. In his boyhood days he (Benjamin Gaskill, carpenter) was an apprentice to a Mr. Sailer whose shop was situated so that they had to go up the street to get to it (Mr. Sailer's shop)." The burial grounds of the Mount Holly Cemetery include many of my Sailer relatives descended from Samuel and Hannah Irick Sailer."Around the 1830's, brothers Isaac and William Risdon purchased 1372 acres to sell lots for housing. In 1841 Isaac Risdon laid out the Mount Holly Cemetery on Ridgeway Street, and dedicated it at ceremonies conducted by the four clergymen of the town, Rev. George Y. Morehouse of St. Andrew's, Rev. Thomas Sovereign, of the Methodist Church, Rev. Samuel Cornelius, the Baptist minister and Rev. Isaac V. Brown of the Presbyterian Church." Samuel and Hannah died before this cemetery existed. John and his brother William I. Sailer are buried in cemetery lots 821 and 863 in the Mt. Holly Cemetery. MHH also shows "Another tragedy occurred in the same neighborhood about 1859 when the boiler of a locomotive exploded while hauling a train of cars loaded with marl (which is a species of earth according to an 1877 dictionary) between Washington and Water Streets.The boiler was blown into the creek, and the tracks torn up for a considerable distance.The engineer, Job Gaskill, of Bordentown, was severely scalded and died in a few hours.Fireman Charles L. Platt of Sykesville, and conductor John A. Sailer, of Pine St., Mount Holly, were scalded and injured internally, but lived until the following day.Brakeman Edward Joyce was blown into an adjoining meadow with a crushed leg and broken arm.Five others of the train crew were unhurt."On the last vist to Mount Holly Cemetery, we found that vandalism hit with many stones pushed over and damaged.

The Sailer Family Tree of Pennsylvania & New JerseyUpdated March 17, 2008

Charles and William Sailer(552 KB)A very humorous photo of brothers Charles Samuel Sailer (seated) and William Lincoln Sailer (right). Cannot place the third fellow.Possibly a brother-in-law.Family was very close and from viewing other family pictures, most outings were with family members.Before February 1901

William & Mary Sailermarried in 1884(178 KB)William Lincoln Sailer (1860-1901) and Mary J. Grady (1863-1900) had seven children.WLS worked at Stetson's Hat's in Philadelphia with his brother, Charles Samuel Sailer.William died as a result of an accident at Stenston's one year after Mary died of tuberculosis along with 3 year old daughter, Grace, leaving the rest of his children to be cared for by relatives.

1805-1859 Tombstone for Rebecca Sailer Gaskill(127 KB)Buried with Rebecca is her hasband Richard Gaskill and children Joseph and Sarah Jane Gaskill. It is Sarah Jane's 1905 will that has the names of all her first cousins which include our Grandfather William Washington Sailer and his brothers and sisters.

Tombstone for JohnA.& Rachael J. Sailer (142 KB)MOUNT HOLLY CEMETERYLOT 859 Purchased by JOHN SAILER, APRIL 16, 1859 (spelling as copied)INTERREDMary WeestMarch 26, 1849ChildMarch 20, 1858, nearest relative father John,John SailerMay 26, 1869, nearest relative widowRachael J. SailerAugust 14, 1912, nearest relative daughterSarah SailerAugust 17, 1921, nearest relative daughterHISTORY OF MOUNT HOLLY BY Henry C. SHINN c1957, reprinted 1998."Another tragedy occurred in the same neighborhood about 1859 when the boiler of a locomotive exploded while hauling a train of cars loaded with marl (which is a species of earth according to an 1877 dictionary) between Washington and Water Streets.The boiler was blown into the creek, and the tracks torn up for a considerable distance.The engineer, Job Gaskill, of Bordentown, was severely scalded and died in a few hours.Fireman Charles L. Platt of Sykesville, and conductor John A. Sailer, of Pine St., Mount Holly, were scalded and injured internally, but lived until the following day.Brakeman Edward Joyce was blown into an adjoining meadow with a crushed leg and broken arm.Five others of the train crew were unhurt. "Henry C. Shinn wrote, "This history is imperfect and incomplete, but it has seemed a duty to write it, assuming all responsibility for the mistakes it may contain."Note that the accident actually happened in 1869.

Sailer Reunion in 1996(181 KB)Just a few descendants of William Washington Sailer and wife Rose M. Schillinger.